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@nuit-th tstta geirrt @fitta HENRY A. ALBEN, or MATTEAWANQ'NEW YORK.. Leners Para No. 64,930, dated May 21, 1867 IMPRovBD GAR-SPRING;

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. ALBEN, of Matteawan, i'n the `county of Dutchess, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Springs; and I-hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurc l is aperspective view of my improved spring; and

Figure 2 is' a vertical central section of the same. l

My invention relates to that kind of springs composed of a seriesof conical or concavoconvex disks, arranged so thatthe concave and convex surfaces of the successive disks shall be opposite to each other, or, in other words, so that they shall be in contact alternately at their centre and circumference; and its object is to produce a compensating disk-spring whichshall possess greater elasticity and resistant power than is usually vfound in such springs. To this end, my invention consists in the combination, with one or more pairs of radially corrugated disks, of a`disk of rubber or other suitable elastic substance interposed between the spring-plates or disks which compose each pair. The disks have a series of corrugations which 'radiate from their centre to their circumference. The edge of the-disks, therefore, instead of being in a, plane, will be undulating or wavy, the

corrugations or depressions forming their surface into a series of elliptic or other curves. vWhen two disks of this form are put together, so that their concave surfaces shall be opposite one another, and the points at their circumferences where the corrugations are formed in contact7 a series of springs will be formed at the periphery of the disks similar in outline to an ordinary carriage-spring. When a spring thus'constructed is4 subject to pressure, the disks are capable of spreading at their circumference, the curves becoming gradually less as the pressure increases, until. the disks are in contact at every point upon their circumference. Of course, as soon as the spring is compressed to this extent, the disks are no longer capable of'further expansion. To prevent' all danger of this, however, Ihave devised a means by which the capacity of the spring to resist the prefssure may be greatly'increased in proportion to the weight sustained by it,.without adding to the amount of metal of which the disks are formed. Between the two disks whose concave surfaces .are turned to each other I place' a disk of rubber, of suitable size to fill the cavity enclosed' by the disks. When the spring is compressed, the disks are flattened or forced nearer to each other, and by this means the rubber or other elastic body between the disks is also compressed, and m-adeto expand into cavities formed between the corrugations in the disks; and the latter are thus not only strengthened, but their ,elasticity is greatly increased. Of course, so soon as the pressure is removedthe rubberdisk will resume-its original proportions, it being so arranged as not to be subjected to Ypressure until the spring has been compressed to a certain point. The nature of my invention will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings.

The spring shownin figs. 1 and 2 consists`of`concavoconvex disks a, held together upon a central spindle,

C, and arranged so that their concave and convex surfaces are alternately opposite each other. The disks are formed with radial corrugations o1` depressions 7c, which in each pair are so placed as to be in contact witheach other, as shown in fig. 1. That portion of the plates between the points k is curved or concave, thus forming, at the edge of the disks, a series'of elliptic or other shaped openings,f. In order to maintain the disks in this position, the bolt or spindle C, upon which they are held, is square or rectangular, and a corresponding hole or perforation is formed centrally in each disk, through which the rod is inserted. The disks in this manner will be prevented from turning so as to throw the points k outof contact. Other suitable means for this purpose may, however` be employed. 'Theaction of the spring is such that, when under compression,'the plates will be gradually flattened, the curves or auxiliary springsfformed by the corrugations c becoming less, until, if sufficiently great pressure be applied, the disks will be in'contact throughout their entire circumference. It will, of course, be seen that when the disks are thus compressed and their edges-are straightened, they will expand and have a largervcircumfer-ence tn an when in an uncompressed state. The whole surface of the 'disks is thus acted on cq'ualiy, and all tendency to buckling prevented. In order t`o increase the elasticity of the spring,- as wellas its capacity to resist pressure, disks of=vulcanized rubber, or other elastic and compressible material, may be placed between the pair of plates a whose concave surfaces are turned to each other. When vthe spring is compressed, the interposed rubber disks will be also compressed and will expand laterally, filling the cavities formed between the corrugations c, and thus adding to the elasticity and strength of the spring is c described, I claim interposing betw'en t Spring. It will be seen that by my invention enel] pair of vplates a, when placed together, nre formed of a series of springs, f k, radiating frolnn common centre, which not only give the pla-tes elasticity and strength greatly exceeding that of any disk-spring made of an equal amount of metal, but -also ennble them to expand, orto increase their circumference, thus distributing the pressure an unduly depressed. The addition ofthe rubber to the spring is productive of important results. Without it the steel disks would, perhaps, in many instances, be too weak'toproperly resist compression. But where the oinposed of these disks with the interposed rubber, itsstrength as well :Ls-elasticity is greatly increased, the resistance increasing in proportion to the pressure.1 This is a feature not possessed by diskse liability to buckle in or yield suddenly, when the pressure exceeds n certain limit, is

springs in general, who

nrs or other bodies where n greet weight well known, and it, therefore, specially adapts' the spring for use with c is required to be sustained.

Having described )ny invention, an claim, alnd desire to secure byLetters Patent, is as follows: In a spring composed of one or more pnirs of veonczwo-eorurex or conical and radially corrugated plntes, as he plates ofeach pair a. disk of vulcanized rubber, or other elustic body of suitable dimensions, substantially inthe manner and'for the purposes set forth.

. In testimony whereofl have signed mynnule to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. ALDEN.

Witnesses:

GUERNSEY SMITH, STEPHEN MAPEs.

d preventing any one pa-rt of the plate from beingd the manner in `.irhich the same is or mn.y be csrried intoeil'ect, what Iv 

